Ball-forming machine



M. W. MAGANN BALL FORMING MACHINE Filed Aug. 31. 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 922 1/672 for:

M. W.'MAGANN BALL FORMING MACHINE Dec. 11, 1928.

Flled Aug. 51, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 flZ Zarney' Dec. 11, 1928.

M. W. MAGANN BALL FORMING MACHINE Filed Aug. 31, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet a a. W W m m Dec 11; 1928. 1,695,195

, M. w. MAGANN BALL FORMING MACHINE Filed Aug.'3l, 1925 '5 sheets-sheet 5 Wer rz'ZZ/V/V (222m.

Patented Dec. 11, 1928.

UNITED, STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MERRITT W. MAGANN, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR- TO ST. LOUIS STEEL BALL CORPORATION, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A CORIEORATION OF MISSOURI.

BALL-FORMING MACHINE.

Application filed August 31, 1925. Serial. No. 53,556.

My invention relates to ball forming machines, and more particularly to a machine for the manufacture of solid metallic balls by a rolling process from hot non-spherical slugs each having a volume of material equal to the volume of material of each finished ball.

The invention is a distinct and practical improvement to overcomev certain practicalobjections to, and defects in, machines for forming solid metallic balls from non-spherical slugs or stock by the continuous rolling movement of hot non-spherical shaped slugs into ball formation, and which balls are adapted for use in grinding cement during the manufacture thereof.

An object of my present invention, which is an improvement over my co-pending application bearing Serial Number 667,895, is to provide a ball forming machine having a plurality of opposed ball forming dies, one member of each die being stationary and its coacting member being rotatable.

. A further object of the invention is to provide two stationary die members each provided with two orbital die grooves, arranged to form an inner and an outer groove concentrically arranged with the faces of each groove provided with spirally shaped cuts or depressions.

A further object of the invention is to provide the orbital die grooves of the two stationary die members with stops and a plurality of groove connecting passages so as to direct the travel of the hot slugs being formed into balls from the outer die groove of the first die to the outer die groove of the opposed, or second die; then, from the outer die groove of the second die to the inner die groove of the first die; then from the inner die groove of the first die to the inner die groove of the second die, and, finally from the inner die groove of the first die to an inclined exit ball passage formed between and in the inner faces of the opposed stationary die members and a peripheral groove of a driven shaft.

if further object of the invention is to pro vide a coacting rotatable die member for each stationary die member and each havingan inner and an outer orbital die groove conbers also being provided with spirally shaped segmental cuts or depressions, which when in register with the spiral cuts ordepressions of the stationary die members, form true spiral grooves in the faces of the ball forming.

die grooves of the assembled die members to facilitate the rolling action of slugs being rolled into ball formation which slugs are under great frictional pressure between the stationary and rotatable die members. 7

A still further object of my invention is to provide a novel solid ball founing machine, especially adapted for making cement grinding balls, but not necessarily limited thereto, which will possess advantages in points of simplicity, eflicien'cy, durability, and, at the same time prove itself comparatively inexpensive in, manufacture, as well as the balls made thereby.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel features of construction, arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter more fully described and finallypointed outin the claims hereto appended.

This invention is but a unit of anapparatus' of a method and process I have conceived in the manufacture of solid metallic balls from slugs cut from cold bar stock, then heated and fed to the forming machine for shaping at the desired temperature.

forming a part of this specification, wherein like characters of reference denote simllar parts throughout the several vlews:

Fig. 1, is a top plan viewof a ball forming Referring to the accompanying drawings Fig. 5,:is an inside elevation of one of the stationary die plates. 7

Fig. 6, is an inside elevationof theother stationary die plate.

Fig. 7 is an outside elevation of the stationary die plate shown in Fig. 6. d

Fig. 8, is an outside elevation of the stationary die plate shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. 9, is an inside elevation 01 the rotatable die plate coaoting with the stationary die plate shown in Fig. 7.

able die plate coacting with he stationary die plate shown in Fig. 6. i

In carrying out the aim oi my present in vcntion, which is illustrated in the accompany ing drawings, employ a suitable base 1 which is provided with the opposed standards 2, each of which standards is provided at its upper end with a suitable oearing S and a bearing 1-. The base 1 can be secured to a suitable foundation by any well known means, such as suitable anchoring or iastening devices, 5, commonly used for such purpose.

A suitable power, or drive shaft- 6 is journaled in the hearings 3. One end of the shaft 6 is provided with a suitable fixed pinion '7 adapted to mesh with a suitable gear 8 fixed to one end of a suitable driven shaft 9, which driven shaft 9 is journaled in the berings 1-. The power, or drive shaft 6 is provided with a suitable combined fly wheel and pulley 10 over which rides a suitable belt .11 driven by i an electric motor, gas engine, or other suitable source power, not snown, as manifest.

The driven shalt 91's provided intermediate its ends, at a suitable point, with a peripheral flange 12, which flange is )rovided with a suitable peripheral. groove 13. The drive shaft is further provided with a lon udina ly disposed cold water passage 14, which passage 14 is enlarged adjacent tne peripheral groove 13 to form a water chamber 15 within the flanged section 12, tor supplying a suthcient chamber of cold water at this point for cooling the sha'lt adjacent the ball rorming dies to be hereinafter described. 1

The ball rolling mechanism proper will now be described and comprises a pair of suitable rectangular stationary die plates designated 16 and 17. Each die plate is provided with a central opening 18 for the reception of the flange 12 of the driven shaft 9 on which the are mounted, as clearly shown in Fig. 1.

The stationary die plates 16 and 17 are arranged side by side and are seated upon the base 1, as shown in F gs. 1, 2 and at. These die'plates 16 and 1'?" are held in proper position with relation to each other, such as spreading displacement, by means of suitable corner tie rods 19 passing through the corners of the die plates, and through the corners of two oppositestationary irame plates 20. Suitable sleeves 21 are mounted upon the rods 19 and disposed between eachcorner of each die plate and its respective frame plate 20, as clearly shown in 1, 2 and .1-. Ti

stationary frame plates 20 are provided with central openings 22 for the passage of the driven shaft 9 and engage both the base 1 upon which they rest and the standards 2, as shown in Figs. 2and 4.

The outer faces of the stationary die plate f which is provided Fig. 10, is an inside elevation oi the rotat- 16 is provided with an outer concave orbital die groove 23, semi-circular in cross n, ith a gradually enlarged inclined entrance, or feed end 2-l for feeding red hot metallic slugs 25 into the machine. The die groove 23 terminates at a stop which is short of the entrance end and does not communicate therewith, clearly showi in Fig. 3. The die plate 16 also provided in its outer face witl an inner concaved orbital die groove 2'7, which groove is lso semicircular in cross section and is arranged concentric with the die groove The die groove 2? terminates at the stop 28 which spaces the exit end thereof from the entrance end of the same groove.

The outer face of the stationary die plate 1'? is provided with an outer concaved orbital die groove 29, send-circular in cross section and which die groove 29 is of ti e same diameter as the outer die groove 23 of die plate The ball exit end of the die groove 29 as indicated by arrow is spaced a suitable distance from the entrance end of the same groove, also indicated by arrow, by means of suitable stop 80. The die'plate 17 is further provided its outer face with an inner concaved orbital die groove 31 which is also seini-circ .lar in cross section, and which is arranged concentric with the outer die groove 29. The die groove 31 is of the same diameter as the opposed inner die groove 27 of die plate 16. The hallexit end of the die groove 31 indicated by arrow, is spac cl a suitable distance ii'rom the ball ent 'ance and of the same groove, also indicated by row, by means of a suitable stop 32.

The reference numerals 3 and 3 1 represent coacting die plates which are fixed to the flange 12 of the driven shaft 9 by means 0i suitable fastening devices 35 so as rotate therewith.

The rotatable die' plate 33 is di iosed opposite the outer face of the stationary die 16 and is provided with the concentrically arranged outer and inner concaved orbital die grooves 36 and 37, which grooves are adapted to register with the grooves 23 and 27 respective, of die plate 16, so as to provide the outer and inner orbital ball rolling channels 38 and 89, re tively. The opposed faces of the co die plates 16 and 83 are spaced a suit tance apart so to provide a scale c 1 iharge passage l0 between the die plates 16 and 32:5.

The rotatable die plate 3i is disposed opposite the outer face off the stationa v ie plate 1'? and is provided with the coin cally arranged oute and inner concav ital die grooves ll and 4-2 which are at to register with the die grooves respectively 01 die plate 17, so as to provide the outer and inner orbital ball rolling channels 13 and i l, respectively.

In order to permit the hot slugs to be rolled into ball formation to pass from one set of ball rolling channels of the dies to the other and vice-versa, I provide the stationary die plates 16 and 17 with registered openings to provide the inclined ball passing channel 45 between the ball outlet end of the ball rolling channel 38 and the ball inlet end of ball rolling channel 43. and 17 are further provided with registered openings to provide the inclined ball passing channel 46 between the ball outlet end of the outer ball rolling channel 43 and the ball in let end of ball rolling channel 39. The stationary die plates 16 and 17 are each further provided with registered openings to provide the inclined ball passing channel 47 between the ball outlet end of the inner ball rolling channel 39 and the inlet end of the.inner ball rolling channel 44. 'The stationary die plate 17 is still further provided with an opening to provide an inclined ball passing channel 48, which channel communicates with the in ner end of a ball discharge channel 49 formed between the die plates 16 and 17 by the inclined opposed concaved grooves 50 and 51 formed in the inner faces of the stationary die plates 16 and 17, as shown in Fig. 2.

The faces of the orbital die grooves are each provided with the spirally cut grooves, or depressions, as described, to provide the orbital ball rolling channels 38, 39,43 and 44 with so-called rifles to assist in the rolling action or movement of the hot slugs during their formation into spherical balls.

The peripheral groove 13 of the driven shaft 9 assists in the discharge of the finished balls through the discharge passage or channel 49 due to the rotation of the driven shaft 9 which has a tendency to encourage discharge moveinent to the finished balls after the balls have been formed between the two sets of die plates.

The stationary die plates 16 and 17 preferably have'their inner faces slightlybowed, or dished, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4.

The operation of the machine is as follows: v

Thehot slugs of metallic stock designated 25 are fed into the groove 24 of the stationary die plate 16 and into the outer orbital race way 38 at the bottom thereof and discharged therefrom and into the outer orbital race way 43 through the connecting passage 45, as will be apparent from Figs. 2 and 3. The slugs are rolled over the outer orbital raceway 43 and discharged therefrom and into the inner orbital raceway 39 through the connecting passage 46. The balls are then rolled over the inner orbital raceway 39 and discharged therefrom through the 7 connecting passage 47. The balls are rolled over the inner orbital raceway and finally discharged into the discharge passage 49' throughthe connecting passage 48, as will also be apparent from Figs. 2 and 3.

Thestationary die plates 16 It will be a-pparentfrom the foregoing descriptionand the drawings that the directly opposed die groove of the stationary and rotatable die grooved plates are designed to form an inner and an outer orbital ball forming raceway concentrically arranged between the stationary and the rotatable plates, that the plurality of connecting passages in the stationary die plates are for the purpose of directing balls in formation from the outer orbital raceway of one pair of cooperating die grooved plates to the outer orbital raceway of the other pair of cooperating die grooved plates, from this latter groove to the inner orbital raceway of the first mentioned pair of cooperating die grooved plates and finally from said inner orbital raceway to the inner orbital raceway of the second mentioned pair of die grooved plates from which raceway the balls are discharged into an inclined exit passage formed by inner facial grooves of thestationary die plates assisted in their discharge movement by contact with a peripheral groove of a drive shaft to which the rota-table die grooved plates are fixed.

The many advantages of the herein described invention will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art to which it appertains. I do not desire to be understood as having limited myself to the exact deails of construction shown and described, but desire to have it understood that the invention I have shown in the drawings is merely illustrative, it is manifest that various minor changes may be made in the exact construction and particular arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of my invention,v hence I reservethe right to make any such changes, or modifications, as may fairly fall within the scope of the appended claims when fairly construed.

What I claim is:

1. In a solid metallic ball forming machine structure, a driven shaft, two pairs of concentrically grooved die plates, the outer plates of each pair being mounted for rotation with said shaft and means to allow balls to cross over from the die grooves. of one pair of plates to the die grooves of the other pair of plates and vice versa during the process of forming the balls. i

2. In a solid metallic ball forming machine structure, a driven shaft, two pairs of concentrically grooved die plates, the outer places of each pair being mounted for rotation with said shaft and the inner plates of each pair being stationary, means to allow balls to pass from the die grooves of one pair of plates to the die grooves of the other pair of plates and vice versa during the process of forming the balls and a discharge passage formed between the two stationary plates for the exit of the finished balls.

8. In a solid metallic ball forming machine structure, a driven shaft, two pairs of concentrically grooved disc plates, the outer plates of each pair being mounted for rotation with said shaft and the inner plates of each pair being stationary, a feed passage leading to one of the die grooves between one of the rotating plates and its associated stationary plate, means to allow balls being formed to pass from the die grooves of one in, a hot slug feed passage communicating with one set of grooves between one of the rotating plates and one of the stationary plates and an inclined discharge passage formed in the opposed faces of the stationary die plates for the exit of finished balls.

5. In a solid metallic ball forming machine structure, a driven shaft, a pair of stationary plates having slightly dished inner faces to allow metallic chips and scale to be dis charged between said plates, means to prevent spreading of said plates, a pair of plates fixed to revolve with said driven shaft, an outer raceway formed by opposed facial die grooves in the inner faces of each pair of stationary and revoluble die plates, a passage in the stationary die plates connecting said outer raceways, an inner circular raceway concentric with the outer raceways formed by opposed facial grooves of each pair of stationary and revoluble die plates, a passage in the stationary die plates connecting the outer raceway of one pair of stationary and revoluble die plates with the inner raceway of the other pair of stationary and revoluble die plates, a passage in the stationary die plates connecting said inner raceway of the latter stationary and revoluble die plates with the inner raceway of the other stationary and revoluble die plates, a passage in the stationary die plates connecting said latter inner raceway with the inner raceway of the other stationary and revoluble die plates, an exit passage formed by opposed facial grooves in the inner faces of the stationary die plates and a passage in one of the stationary die plates connecting the latter inner raceway with the discharge passage.

6. In a machine for forming solid balls from hot metallic slugs, two pairs of oping two concentrically arranged raceways, said two pairs of dies having passages communicating with the raceways of each other for transmitting the hot metallic slugs being formed into balls from one of the raceways in one pair of dies to a like raceway in the other pair of dies, then from said latter raceway to the other raceway of the other pair of dies from which raceway it is transmitted to a like raceway in the other pair of dies and from which latter raceway the finished balls are discharged from between said two pairs of dies.

7. In a machine for forming solid metallic balls from hot non-spherical slugs, two pairs of opposed sets of ball forming dies each having a pair of outer and inner raceways concentrically arranged, a slug inlet passage to the outer raceway of one pair of said dies, said pairs of dies having internal passages connecting the concentric raceways of both pairs of dies for transmitting the metal beformed into balls from one pair of dies to the other pair of dies and an outlet passage formed between the two pairs of dies for the discharge of the finished balls.

8. ln solid metallic ball forming machine, a pair of opposed stationary concentrically grooved die plates, a cooperating pair of concentrically grooved rotata is die plates and a plurality of internal connecting passages in said stationary plates to cause the balls being formed to first travel between one stationary plate and its cooperating rotary plate and then between the other stationary plate and its cooperating rotary plate and vice versa until the ball is completely formed.

9. In a solid metallic ball forming ma chine, two pairs of stock forming devices arranged side by side, each pair of devices having a pair of concentrically arranged orbital raceways and a plurality of internal passages connecting the raceways of each pair of stock forming devices.

10. In a solid metallic ball forming machine, two pairs of stock forming devices arranged side by side, each pair of devices having a pair of concentrically arranged orbital raceways, a plurality of internal passages connecting the raceways of each pair of devices, a stock feed passage leading to one pair of said. devices and a ball discharge passage formed between both pairs of de vices.

11. In a solid ball forming machine structure, a base, a pair of standards for said base, bearings at the upper ends of said standards, drive shaft, a hollow water cooled driven shaft, gearing connecting said shafts, a peripheral grooved flange for said driven shaft, a pair of stationary die plates through which the driven shaft passes, 11 am to prevent lateral displacement of the stationary posed ball forming dies, each pair of dies havdie plates, said stationary die plates having slightly dished inner faces to permit metallic ships gathered therebetween to be discharged from therebetween, a pair of rotatable die plates fixed to the flange of said shaft for rotation therewith, an inner and an outer facial groove concentrically arranged in the inner faces of each pair of cooperating stationaryand rotatable die plates to form a'pair of concentric orbital raceways for each pair of cooperating stationary and rotatable die plates, internal passages in the stationary die plates for connecting the raceways of one pair of cooperating stationary and rotatable die plates with the raceways of the other pair of cooperating stationary and rotatable die plates, a feed groove leading to one of the other raceways between one pair of cooperating stationary and rotatable die plates, a discharge passage formed between the two stationary die plates and a passage in one of the stationary die plates connecting the inner raceway thereof with the discharge passage which discharge passage cooperates with the peripheral groove of the driven shaft.

12. In a machine for forming solid balls from hot metallic slugs, two pairs of ball forming dies arrangedside by side, each pair of dies having an outer circular raceway'and an inner circular raceway, a passage leading from the outer raceway of one pair of dies to the outer raceway of the other pair of dies, a passage leading from the latter raceway to'the inner raceway of the first mentioned pair of lies, a passage leading from the latter raceway to the inner raceway of the second mentioned pair of dies, a discharge passage between the two pairs of dies and a passage leading from the inner raceway of the second mentioned pair of dies to the discharge passage between the two pairs of dies.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed iny name to the specification.-

MERRITT MAGANN. 

